Gosnell faces a murder charge in the death of a woman from a failed abortion — but the infanticide abortion cases are causing significant outrage and may get a federal law involved. Several of his staff were also arrested overnight and will face charges in connection with the cases.

The infanticides are “abortions,” in that Gosnell purposefully induced a premature birth of the infants for the purpose of taking their lives. District Attorney Seth Williams said today that the charges involve a particularly gruesome method of killing the babies.

During a press conference, Williams said Gosnell “induced labor, forced the live birth of viable babies in the sixth, seventh, eighth month of pregnancy and then killed those babies by cutting into the back of the neck with scissors and severing their spinal cord.”

“There were bags, and bottles holding aborted fetuses were scattered throughout the building,” said Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams. “There were jars lining shelves with severed feet that he kept for no medical purpose.”

Gosnell allegedly aborted and killed babies in the sixth and seventh months of pregnancy. The abortions of the biggest babies allegedly were scheduled for Sundays, when the abortion center was closed. The only person allowed to assist with such cases was Gosnell’s wife, Williams said. Gosnell allegedly took home the files for those patients and disposed of them.

During the Bush administration, Congress approved a federal law requiring medical facilities to provide appropriate medical care and treatment for unborn children who are born alive after a failed abortion or purposefully birthed as was the case at Gosnell’s abortion center. President George W. Bush signed the law after pro-life nurse Jill Stanek uncovered cases of babies left to die at her Chicago-area hospital and brought them to national attention.

Stanek said today that the law should come into play in the Gosnell situation: “The Born Alive Infants Protection Act should finally come to the fore in prosecuting murders of newborn survivors of abortion that we know is being committed.”

Gosnell killed Karnamaya Mongar, 41, on November 20, 2009, after she was overdosed on painkillers during an abortion in her 18th or 19th week of pregnancy. Mongar’s brother, told reporters that Gosnell’s abortion clinic was “dirty and bloody.” Gosnell’s medical license was suspended and his clinic closed.

A grand jury was convened to investigate. It has charged Gosnell with eight counts of murder for the death of Mongar and seven babies who were born alive during failed illegal late-term abortions then killed by Gosnell or his clinic workers. Some clinic workers have been charged with multiple counts of murder in the deaths of the infants.

When police raided Gosnell’s home and took him into custody, they discovered $240,000 in cash. Gosnell is also the subject of a Federal grand jury that has yet to reach a conclusion of its investigation.

Pro-life groups say the incident is more evidence that abortion centers should face better regulations and more scrutiny from state and local officials.

During his press conference Williams said state regulators ignored complaints about Gosnell in 1993 and did not inspect him or his abortion clinic at the time.

Michael Ciccocioppo, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, told LifeNews.com, “The eight murder charges filed against Gosnell are evidence of the horrific tragedies which occurred within the walls of his abortion center.”

“Prosecutors say that one woman died and seven babies were born alive there and then killed with scissors in what can only be described as gruesome and horrible deaths. Gosnell should be held accountable for these deplorable crimes,” he said. “The district attorney has said that regulators ignored complaints and failed to visit the Women’s Medical Society for years. We find this to be unconscionable.”

“How many other abortion facilities in the state are also flagrantly violating state health and safety standards, as those charged with regulating them allow them to operate without any disciplinary action?” Ciccocioppo added. “The Gosnell case is a wake-up call for Pennsylvania. Greater scrutiny of abortion facilities is needed in order to prevent such tragedies in the future.”

“We are thrilled at the diligence done by authorities in Pennsylvania who have worked to protect the public from this serial killer and bring Gosnell and his cohorts to justice,” added Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. “As shocking as this case is, it is in no way an anomaly. Shoddy and illegal practices characterize the abortion industry in America. There are more Gosnell’s out there victimizing and murdering under the cover of secrecy.”